MANGALORE: The Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat at its special general meeting held here on Saturday discussed a host of problems pertaining to the Revenue Department.

The participation of Deputy Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao in the meeting enabled the members to explain to him their problems in taking up development works.

Delay in transferring record of rights, tenancy and crop inspection (RTC) to tenants who have a "hakku patra" (certificate of ownership of land), encroachment of land belonging to schools and transfer of RTC in the name of the encroacher and disposal of cases of people who have sought regularisation of land under form 94-C were among the issues discussed.

Members urged Mr. Rao to dispose of all such cases on priority.

Pakeera M. and Gokuldas Shetty, presidents, Puttur and Mangalore taluk panchayats, respectively and Shahul Hameed, Venkat Dambekodi, Thungappa Bangera, A.C. Bhandary, panchayat members, highlighted the problems caused by the delay on the part of revenue authorities in disposing of these cases. While Mr. Hameed said most of these cases were pending for last 25 years, Mr. Shetty said there had been procedural lapses in issuing "hakku patras".

Mr. Rao told the members that the respective tahshildars and executive officers of taluk panchayats had initiated the process of carrying out surveys of all such cases in 2004.

Regular follow-ups

Noting that there were nearly 60,000 such cases then, he said the department has disposed of most of them owing to regular follow up.

Stating that few cases of regularisation of records were peculiar, he said the department was tackling them.

Mr. Rao promised the members that he would take up the issue of obtaining clearance from the Forest Department for taking up development work within forest and national park areas with the authorities concerned. The process has to be carried out keeping in mind various judgments given by the Supreme Court in this regard. Many development works in Sullia and Belthangady taluks have been delayed owing to delay in obtaining clearance, Mr. Venkat said. On the issue of setting aside 10 acres of land in all gram panchayat limits for public utility purpose, Mr. Rao advised the members to be specific with their objectives in this regard.

He said there was scarcity of revenue land and the Revenue Department would try and make available revenue land for specific public utility purpose. Abhayachandra Jain, MLA, was present. Mamatha D.S. Gatti, president, presided over the meeting.

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